Jepchirchir claims title at Yangzhou Half Marathon

Newly-crowned world half marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir of Kenya continued her solid form as she cut 55 seconds off the women's course record en route to claim the title at the 2016 Yangzhou Jianzhen International Half Marathon here on Sunday.

The 23-year-old built an overwhelming lead almost from the start of the race and never looked back until breaking the tape in style in 1:07:21, 10 seconds faster than her winning mark when she led a podium sweep for Kenya at the World Half Marathon Championships in Cardiff last month, reports Xinhua.

Ethiopia's Birhane Dibaba Adugna, 22, set a personal best of 1:07:47 to finish second while Paskalia Chepkorir Kipkoech of Kenya took the third place in 1:07:58. All the top three finishers beat the previous course record of 1:08:16 set by Kenya's Gladys Cherono in 2014.

Ethiopia's Mosinet Geremew Bayih, defending champion and course record holder in the men's race, triumphed from a five-man battle in the home stretch to notch a back-to-back title in 1:00:43.

Edwin Kipyego of Kenya finished second 1:00:44, with Feyisa Lilesa Gemechu of Ethiopia trailing one second in arrear to take the third position.

--IANS

sam/mr